Why did my phone explode, find out why, how to stop it

Recently, reports are pouring in from various people reporting a smartphone explosion or smoke coming out of the phone. Since the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, the matter of battery safety is being taken more seriously by everyone.

Here in this article, we have listed certain reasons for smartphone explosions. Also, we’ve stated the indicators that you may notice when your phone is in a state where it may explode. We are listing down the reasons, indicators, and how to prevent your phone from exploding.

Reasons for Smartphones Exploding

Highlighted by the explosive fate of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, your smartphone’s battery is the primary cause of any misfire or explosion caused by your phone. Here are certain reasons why batteries contribute to much of the smartphone misfire incidents.

Bigger capacity batteries

It is true that we are today looking at batteries as big as 5,000 mAh fitted in a 5-inch phone. This increases the chance of a misfire as the bigger capacity batteries are more tightly packed. So a smartphone with a moderate battery size is less likely to cause a misfire.

Tighter packaging

Not only battery capacity but the battery’s packing also determines the fate of your smartphone. While the battery capacity needs to be kept ample for a full day of usage, the smartphones are becoming smaller. While there is room for the battery to get sufficient ventilation, the phone may not be properly accommodating the battery at times.

Exposure to heat

While advancements sometimes lead to bad things like misfires, they are not the only reason. Sometimes if you’ve left your phone exposed to open heat like near the stove or in your car’s dashboard, there are chances that it may catch fire. While there are safety stages in most of the phones, some manufacturers do not pay much heed to them, hence, some phones may explode when exposed to heat.

Overcharging or third-party chargers

One of the major reasons behind modern-day smartphone fires is the use of third-party chargers. For fast and safe charging, manufacturers have synced the phone and charger to work to deliver an effective output. When you use a third-party charger on your smartphone, the output may not be balanced and may result in battery explosion or misfire.

Indicators that your smartphone may catch fire

While the above reasons are why your smartphone may catch fire, these indicators let you know if there are chances of a fire. If your phone is frequently showing these signs, we recommend you to get it checked to prevent any problems.

Overheating

While heating has always been there in some phones, overheating can be considered as a sign of a decaying battery. If your phone heats while charging or heavy usage, it may be a sign of damage either on the battery front or on the phone’s processing.

Battery Drain

One of the common signs of a decaying battery life is battery drain. If your phone is unusually slow at charging or discharging rapidly, you might want to get it checked. A sudden battery drain and even slower charging may indicate a decaying battery which may need replacement.

Overheat indication by your phone

Yes, your Android device tells you if the temperatures are above normal. In case your phone is overheating and gives a ‘critical temperature’ warning often, there are chances that it may end up in a misfire. Explosions are mostly averted by the safety lining on the batteries but a fire is imminent if your phone keeps overheating every now and then.

How to keep your phone safe?

While there is no sure-shot method to keep it safe, there are certain precautions that can be taken. You should keep your phone in a well-ventilated place always. A recent smartphone misfire was noted because there may have been heating due to too many electronics in the same place.

If you keep your phone in a bag, make sure you’ve kept it away from power banks and other phones to avoid collective heating. Also, avoid leaving your smartphone in open heat like near flames or on the dashboard of your car.

An avid reader, writer, and motorcyclist, Manik is intrigued by the ever evolving tech ecosystem. Manik is responsible to take care of what’s happening in the Indian smartphones market and update the website readers accordingly through his detailed coverage on any given topic. In his free-time, you’ll find him fine-tuning his Bike or exploring the web for something new.